Electrical Repairs That Can Lower Your Energy Bills

A large electric bill is an unpleasant surprise that nobody wants to deal with. Ohio has experienced large increases in energy bills in the past few years and unsurprisingly, a lot of us are sick of dealing with high electricity bills each month. Fortunately, there are a few electrical repairs you can do around the house to lower those energy bills! Most of them are relatively small or simple. Some are bigger electrical repairs that will pay off in the long run when your next bill arrives. So before you start sitting in the dark to save money on electricity, try these electrical repairs first. 

Replace Your Bulbs

This repair might not sound extraordinarily effective at first, but it can make a difference. If your lightbulbs are old, they can eat up a surprising amount of energy! Iridescent bulbs especially can affect your home’s energy usage. If your electric bill is higher than you’d like it to be, start by replacing iridescent bulbs with energy-efficient bulbs such as LEDs or CFLs. Installing dimmer switches can also help save energy, as you can decide how much light you want to use, and therefore how much energy you want to use.

Check Your HVAC System

HVAC systems (air conditioning and heating) consume the majority of the energy in your home. Consequently, if you have an improperly functioning HVAC system, you could be losing money. Especially if you have an older system, this is something you should keep an eye on. Annual maintenance is essential to the health and efficiency of heating and cooling systems. When you get annual maintenance done, the technicians can check for any leaks or other malfunctions that may seem small at first, but end up costing you big on your electric bill. 

Keep it Clean

Cleaning appliances can actually increase their efficiency. Appliances such as refrigerators, exhaust fans, and dryers can get dirty easily, and then that dirt and dust can seriously decrease their efficiency, which drives your electric bill up. When you dry your clothes, always clean out the lint trap afterward. As for the other appliances, clean the coils, vents, and filters every few months. Taking a warm, damp cloth to the coils should do the trick. They can get warm, however, so be careful while you clean. 

Adjust the Settings On Your Dishwasher and Water Heater

Heating up water takes a lot of energy, so if you have a dishwasher, you might be surprised to know that it can eat up the electricity in your home. Most of that energy goes to heating up the water. If your dishwasher has a “heat dry” setting, try turning it off. That may help lower the amount of energy that your dishwasher is using. You can also lower the setting on your water heater. The best setting for your water heater is around 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

Insulate Your Outlets

One very simple residential electrical repair you can perform by yourself is insulating your outlets. You can insulate your outlets with caulking, outlet plugs, foam, or pre-cut insulation gaskets in order to keep air from leaking into your home. When air leaks in through your outlets, it causes your HVAC system to work harder to maintain the temperature inside your home. Remember to always turn off the power to an outlet before working on it!

Are Your Electric Bills Too High?

When your home needs fast, high-quality service, you can count on Stack Heating, Cooling, & Electric! Our skilled technicians can make sure your HVAC system is working properly and perform any necessary electrical repairs. We want you to know that your family’s safety and comfort is our number one priority, as it always has been. We are taking all necessary precautions and following CDC guidelines to keep our customers and employees healthy. We’ve been serving the Cleveland area for over 40 years, and we’re not going anywhere. Give us a call at (440) 937-9134 or visit us on our website today and find out what we can do for you!